Boat plug draining device



July 30, 1968 F. J. MAYER BOAT PLUG DRAINING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 14, 1966 5 e w w@ MM my CK 7V@ 0 ZNM a u /J. 7&0. @M .w LVI/l .fm www W E .Ll U. n E@ w n uw July 30, 1968 F. J. MAYER 3,394,671

BOAT PLUG DRAINING DEVICE v Filed sept. 14, 1966 2 sheets-sheet 2 /Nvf/vox? FAMA/K J /70 VEP United States Patent O 3,394,671 BOAT PLUG DRAINING DEVICE Frank J. Mayer, 1834 81/2 Ave. N., Fort Dodge, Iowa 50501 Filed Sept. 14, 1966, Ser. No. 579,390 2 Claims. (Cl. 114-183) ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A boat plug draining device designed to automatically drain water from boats. The device includes a front plug portion and a rear plug portion secured together with the interior thereof in communication with each other. A hollow shroud is secured to the rear plug portion and extends rearwardly therefrom and is provided with a valve seat means therein. A ball valve is movably mounted in the shroud and is adapted to seat against the valve seat means at times to prevent the passage of water forwardly therethrough.

Water accumulates in the bottoms of most boats and is usually removed by hailing or by turning the boat over to allow the water to flow therefrom. Many boats are provided with drain plugs in the transoms thereof to drain the water therefrom but the boat must be beached to do so. These methods are tedious and time-consuming at best.

Therefore, it is a principal object of this invention to provide a boat plug draining device which automatically removes the water from the boat.

A further object of this invention is to provide a boat plug draining device which automatically removes the water from the boat as the boat is travelling in the water.

A further object of this invention is to provide a boat plug draining device which prevents water from entering the boat therethrough.

A further object of this invention is to provide a boat plug draining device which sucks out the water from the boat when the boat is moving through the water.

A further object of this invention is to provide a boat plug draining device which is safe to use.

A further object of this invention is to provide a boat plug draining device which is provided with a screen means to prevent fouling of the device.

A further object of this invention is to provide a boat plug draining device which is adapted to lit various transom thicknesses.

A further object of this invention s to provide a boat plug draining device which is easily installed.

A further object of this invention is to provide a boat plug `draining device which is easily repaired.

A further object of this invention is to provide a boat plug draining device which is economical of manufacture, durable in use and refined in appearance.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

This invention consists in the construction, arrangements, and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, specifically pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a boat having a boat plug draining device installed in its transom;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the device mounted in a boat transom;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the device as seen on line 3 3 of FIG. 2 at an enlarged scale and with portions thereof cutaway to more fully illustrate the invention;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side view of the device illusice trating the rubber plug inserted into the front plug portion;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the device as seen on line 5 5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a rear elevational view of the device as would be seen on line 6 6 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a sectional View of the device as seen on line 7 7 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the device as seen on line 8 8 of FIG. 7 illustrating the flow of water from the boat unseating the ball valve;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the device as seen on line 9 9 at an enlarged scale; and

FIG. l0 is an exposed perspective view of the device.

The boat plug draining device of this invention is generally indicated in the drawings by the reference numeral 10. The numeral 11 generally indicates a boat having a bottom 13 and a transom 15 with a rearward surface 17 and a forward surface 19. Transom 15 is provided with at least one drain opening 21 formed therein.

Boat plug 10 is generally comprised of a front plug portion 23, a back plug portion 25 and a shroud 27. Front plug portion 23 is comprised of an elongated hollow housing 29 having external threads 31 adjacent its rearward end and a disc-shaped ange 33 extending radially outwardly on its forward end at a right angle thereto. Flange 33 is provided with spaced apart ear members 35 and 37 extending forwardly therefrom. Detachably secured to either ear 35 or ear 37 by means of chain 39 is a resilient stopper 41 having a hook portion 43 extending forwardly therefrom. Stopper 41 is adapted to be received by the open forward end of housing 29 as seen in FIG. 4.

As seen in the drawings, housing 29 is positioned within opening 21 and a flat resilient gasket 45 is positioned between the rearward surface of flange 33 and the forward surface 19 of transom 15.

Rear plug portion 25 is comprised of an elongated hollow housing 47 having internal threads formed in its forward interior end and a cup-shaped ange means 49 extending radially outwardly therefrom at a point forwardly of the rearward end thereof. The rearward end of housing 47 is provided with a lip portion 51 extending radially outwardly therefrom as best seen in FIGS. 9 and l0. Secured to the rearward end of housing 49 is a valve seat means 53 having a base portion 55, a rib portion 57, and a tapered conical shaped valve seat 59. As seen in FIG. 9, base portion 55 embraces housing 47 forwardly of lip portion 51 and that rib portion 53 is provided with a bead portion 61 engaging the rear end of housing 47. Bead portion 61 is not continuous but is interrupted as seen in FIG. 10.

As seen in FIG. 9, housing 47 is threadably secured to the rearward end of housing 29 in opening 21 and a fiat resilient gasket 63 is positioned between the forward surface of flange 49 and the rearward surface 17 of transom 15.

Shroud 27 is hollow and has a compartment 69 defined therein. Shroud 27 is threadably secured to flange means 49 as seen in FIG. 9. Movably mounted in compartment 69 in shroud 27 is a buoyant ball valve 71 adapted to seat on valve seat 59 to prevent the flow of water into the boat. The rearward end of shroud 27 is provided with registering openings 73 and 75. As seen in FIG. 10, opening 75 is provided with threads and is adapted to threadably receive one end of a pin 77 which has been extended through opening 73. Pin 77 is provided with a slot 79 at its other end to permit the threadable rotation thereof.

Preferably, the device is constructed of brass or nylon with the exception of resilient gaskets 45 and 47, Valve seat means 53, ball valve 69 and stopper 41.

The normal method of operation is as follows:

The device is installed in transom as previously described. When the boat is in the water but is not moving, the water in compartment 69 will cause buoyant ball valve 71 to seat on valve seat 59 to prevent the fiow of water from compartment 69 into the boat. If desired, stopper 41 could be inserted in front plug portion 23 as further insurance that water will not enter the boat by means of the device. When the boat is moving through the water, stopper 41 will have been re moved from the device and suspended from ear 37 as seen in FIG. 9 so that chain 39 is positioned forwardly of the open forward end of front plug portion 23. As the boat moves through the water, water will pass over the rearward end of shroud 27 thereby creating a suction sufficient to unseat ball valve 71 from valve seat 55 as seen in FIG. 8. Pin 77 prevents ball valve 71 from passing from shroud 27. The suction caused by the water passing around the rearward end of shroud 27 also sucks the water from the bottom of the boat through front plug portion 23 and rear plug portion 25 and out through valve seat means 53. The continued movement of the boat through the water will effectively suck all of the water from the bottom of the boat out through boat plug 10. The fact that chain 39 is positioned as described previously, prevents any foreign material from the bottom of the boat from entering the device and fouling the operation thereof.

When the boat is stopped, ball valve 71 and valve seat 55 cooperate to prevent water from entering the boat through the device.

The device may be installed in existing drain plug openings 21 in transom 15 regardless of the thickness of transom 15 due to the means by which front plug portion 23 and back portion 25 are secured together. The device as described will fit a large majority of the existing drain plug openings 21 due to the fact that flanges 33 and 49 extend outwardly of opening 21. It can be appreciated that the device can be constructed of any size to conform to the needs of the particular user.

Thus from the foregoing it can be seen that the device accomplishes at least all of its stated/objectives.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of my boat plug draining device without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims, any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim:

1. In a boat plug draining device,

a hollow shroud having rearward and forward ends,

a valve seat means in said shroud,

a ball valve in said shroud adapted to engage said valve seat at times,

a first elongated, hollow cylindrical housing having rearward and forward ends and a cup-shaped flange portion extending first radially outwardly therefrom forwardly of the rearward end thereof and thence rearwardly, the rearward extending portion of said first housing flange adapted to be threadably secured to the forward end of said shroud so that the rearward end of said first housing is positioned within said forward end of said shroud,

said valve seat means being secured to the rearward end of first housing,

and a second, elongated hollow housing having rearward and forward ends and a flange portion extending radially outwardly from its forward end, said second housing being adapted to be secured at its rearward end to the forward end of said rst housing.

2. In combination with a boat having a transom, a

bottom and an opening formed in said transom,

a hollow shroud having rearward and forward ends,

a valve seat means in said shroud,

a ball valve in said shroud adapted to engage said valve seat at times,

a first elongated, hollow cylindrical housing having rearward and forward ends and a cup-shaped flange portion extending first radially outwardly therefrom forwardly of the rearward end thereof and thence rearwardly, the rearward extending portion of said first housing fiange adapted to be threadably secured to the forward end of said shroud so that the rearward end of said first housing is positioned within said forward end of said shroud,

said seat means being secured to the rearward end of first housing,

a second, elongated hollow housing having rearward and forward ends and a ange portion extending radially outwardly from its forward end, said second housing being adapted to be secured at its rearward end to the forward end of said first housing,

said first housing being extended into said opening in said transom from the rearward side thereof so that said fiange portion thereon is adjacent the rearward side of said transom,

said second housing being extended into said opening in said transom from the forward side thereof so that said flange portion thereon is adjacent the forward side of said transom.

and said first and second housings being detachably secured together so that the interiors thereof are in communication with each other.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 847,112 3/ 1907 Renton 114-197 1,079,627 11/1913 Adams 1l4-l97 3,049,088 8/1962 Curtis 114-197 ANDREW H. FARRELL, Primary Examiner. 

